Watch: Democrats Reinsert ‘God,’ ‘Jerusalem’ Into Party Platform

Posted on Sep 5, 2012

The official Democratic Party Platform should have been approved easily during a vote, but it wasn’t. Instead, it became a moment of opportunity for the Republicans (see video below) after the commotion that erupted among Democrats on the convention floor over removal of the words “God” and “Jerusalem” from the platform.

Democrats wound up voting to reinsert the words, which had appeared in previous party platforms, in what was an awkward and unscripted moment at the Democratic National Convention.

A senior Democratic official told CNN that President Obama himself personally intervened, saying he believed that the original draft was “a strong statement and he didn’t want there to be any confusion about his unshakeable commitment to the security of the state of Israel. The issue of the day is Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.”

The Huffington Post explains how it went down:

But when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villagairosa, the convention chairman, came to the podium to ask for the approval of the delegates, those who shouted opposition to the language change were as loud, if not louder, than those who voiced their support.

Villagairosa, in what quickly became an awkward moment, asked for the voice vote three times in all. After the second time, he paused for several seconds and looked behind him for guidance from a convention staffer—possibly a parliamentarian—before turning back and asking for a third vote.

Even though the no’s were again as loud if not louder than the aye’s on the third vote, Villagairosa said he had determined that two thirds of those present had voted in favor. Boos filled the arena in response.